Transport. Transit-Oriented Development in Arlington, Virginia. nited States of

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1 Transport Transit-Oriented Development in Arlington, Virginia nited States of

2 Arlington, Virginia grows with publictransit plan Rapid-transit through high-density development helps area thrive In the 1970 s, following a wave of growth in the population and demand for officespace, Washington, DC extended its Washington Metro rapid-transit system to Arlington, Virginia, an adjacent suburb. Arlington wanted economic growth but also sought to protect existing communities by planning the growth around the new transit development. The result was a high-density, mixed-use, infill development linked by five Metro stations that make up the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor. Arlington s high-density transit corridor is considered a model example of transitoriented development, particularly because strong political will, community involvement, and planning foresight all played a role in its success. The corridor has met the majority of office space demand as well as housing demands for a growing population of workers who want to take public transit to work. Communities have grown and added to the city s tax revenues without dramatically increasing traffic congestion or pollution from vehicles. Traffic in the area has remained relatively flat and has even decreased in some areas. Less than half of the population in the corridor drive to work, and Metro ridership has approximately tripled at each station. Finding the best route The Metro line was originally planned to run above ground in the median of a large highway, Interstate 66, which would have impeded accessibility and high-density development. County officials and residents, however, fought for the line to run along an existing, although deteriorating, commercial corridor instead. Although this underground route was more expensive to construct, the county wanted to protect single family neighborhoods while also revitalizing the area s existing retail corridor. Today, the corridor produces 32.8 percent of the county s tax revenue from real estate tax, even though it is only 7.6 percent of the total land. To help ensure that the new alignment would generate a return on the larger investment, Arlington County used zoning incentives to encourage new development. The incentive allowed developers to build higher density projects on land that was previously zoned low-density and significantly reduced parking requirements. In exchange, developers followed site- Figure 1: New Route to be Constructed Source: Arlington County. FINAL ROUTE 1

3 specific Station Area Plan guidelines. These plans were unique for each station area but included such things as building height, density guidelines, and what mix of uses was appropriate. New development was approved only if it followed all the guidelines and passed review by county planners. Developers received attractive tax incentives and county planners expedited permits, but the project guidelines Figure 2: High-Density Development alongside Lower-Density Zoning Source: Arlington County. mandated that developers include public investments and urban design improvements. Areas with townhouses and other medium-density development acted as transition areas between single-family neighborhoods and highdensity development. Other sites were designated as mixed use, so that a portion of the site was residential, while another portion was retail, restaurant or office space. The mix of incentives and oversight allowed county officials to regulate all new development and ensure it enhanced the community and contributed to the overall vision of the area. 1 Growth in focus Arlington s main focus was economic development and containing growth to preserve low-density neighborhoods, but positive environmental impacts from reduced private automobile use was an additional benefit of the program. Only 13 percent of riders at the five Metro stations drive to access the station. About 10 percent of the population walks or cycles to work, creating further emission reductions and encouraging more healthy, active lifestyles. Compared to the area as a whole, public transportation use is double, cycling is triple, and walking is six times higher for all trips. 2 Altogether, total vehicle-miles traveled per capita is significantly lower in the transit corridor compared to neighboring suburban regions. Employment has increased from about 30,000 to 100,000 total jobs and the number of housing units has increased from 10,000 to over 29,000 since Although demand to live in these urbanized areas is high, single-family neighborhoods have been preserved. If the area was built with typical suburban density, over 35 square kilometers of land would have been used. Instead, the corridor uses approximately 5 square kilometers of land, putting residents and workers within greater walking distance to transit. Arlington s successful transition to transit-oriented development presented some challenges, particularly in improving the pedestrian-design of the station areas. While a high proportion of people use public transit in this area, it has more to do with the number of people who live within walking distance to stations. Improved pedestrian design, including elements such as uninterrupted and direct sidewalk access and an environment that feels safe to travel through, could further decrease private automobile use. 4 Continuous long-term planning by the county, balanced with public infrastructure and urban design investment incentives, encouraged private sector investment in transit-oriented development in Arlington. Policies focused on high-density development within a 0.4 kilometer walking radius of Metro stations and encouraged 2

4 mixed use development that combined commercial, retail, and residential uses all in the same building or area. The county and private sector invested in infrastructure, public amenities, and urban design improvements, highlighting the potential of public-private partnerships. Overall, Arlington illustrates how transit-oriented development can be created and coexist within a matrix of conventional automobileoriented development. References Weaver, Susan Large Community Case Study: Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor, Arlington, Virginia. Long Island Index. Web. October < 3

5 Endnotes 1 Weaver, Susan Large Community Case Study: Rosslyn- Ballston Corridor, Arlington, Virginia. Long Island Index. 2 TransForm Windfall for All: how connected, convenient neighborhoods can protect our climate and safeguard California s Economy. 3 Arlington County Planning Division Profile, Fall Update. 4 Center for Neighborhood Technology Case Study: Washington, DC. In Transit and VMT Reduction. Figure References Figure 1: New Route to be Constructed Arlington County. July Years of Smart Growth Arlington County s Experience with Transit Oriented Development in the Rosslyn-Ballston Metro Corridor. Presentation by the Arlington County Department of Community Planning, Housing, and Development, Planning Division, July Web. November < arlingtonva.us/departments/cphd/planning/powerpoint/ rbpresentation/rbpresentation_ pdf> Figure 2: High-Density Development alongside Lower- Density Zoning Arlington County. July Years of Smart Growth Arlington County s Experience with Transit Oriented Development in the Rosslyn-Ballston Metro Corridor. Presentation by the Arlington County Department of Community Planning, Housing, and Development, Planning Division, July Web. November < arlingtonva.us/departments/cphd/planning/powerpoint/ rbpresentation/rbpresentation_ pdf> 750 First Street, NE, Suite 940 Washington, DC p CCAP CENTER FOR CLEAN AIR POLICY

30 Years of Smart Growth

30 Years of Smart Growth Arlington County s Experience with Transit Oriented Development in the Rosslyn-Ballston Metro Corridor A Presentation by the Arlington County Department of Community Planning,